Conventional continuous tracks for use with track-type vehicles such as crawler tractors comprise a series of track links interconnected by pins fitted with an external bushing. In such a construction, the track links have an inner rail surface upon which the track rollers and idler wheels roll. The pin and bushing connections of these conventional prior art structures provide a drive means for coaction with a chain-driving sprocket whereby the track is forcibly driven by rotational movement of the sprocket.
Although such a track construction has gained wide acceptance, it is subject to several shortcomings, such as noise created by the bushings impacting upon the drive sprocket and the rail surfaces impacting on the idler. Such conventional structures are also subjected to a high rate of wear and power losses due to these impactions and due also to the scrubbing action of the bushings against the sprocket as the track is driven.
A recent development in the art of endless tracks for track-type vehicles is the provision of a drive lug located on the track shoes intermediate the pin and bushing connections to assist the bushings in driving the track. Although these mid-pitch drive lugs have been somewhat effective in substantially eliminating a number of the disadvantages associated with conventional endless tracks, other disadvantages, such as high noise and wear levels, have not been desirably overcome. Exemplary of prior art attempts to reduce noise, wear and other shortcomings of endless track assemblies include U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,244 which issued to G. M. Haslett et al. on June 3, 1975, from an application filed Nov. 30, 1973.
Although the apparatus of that patent functions satisfactorily for suppressing noise, its wear life is somewhat less than a desirable period of time.
This invention therefore resides in apparatus and method for suppressing noise of a continuous track of a crawler type vehicle.